form? does it really make that much of a difference?

[ChronoDisc]

i step up to the tee, take one step with my right foot and sling the disc as hard as i can. it goes pretty far but i need more distance. i have never found a form that i can do without feeling awkward or completely slinging my disc into the trees.

question 1: what different kinds of forms are there and which one would get more distance?

question 2: would a form take stress off of my shoulder? i get done playing and my arm feels like it might detach from my body.

 

[SpringDgLover]

I would say that form makes a huge difference. I was like you for a long time, just stand there take a step, and rip it. But as you are finding out that can be hell on your arm and you are actually robbing yourself of distance. I will start this by assuming you are a RHBH player as that is the most common throwing style. What I would recommend you do is check out the YouTube videos with Dan Beato. He does an excellent job of teaching the common "x-step" technique for backhand throwers. From there check out any and all instructional videos you can on Youtube. I have found that it is much easier to pick up new techniques by watching them than by reading how to do them. You will find with practice (going to a field and throwing over and over again) that you are able to get as much if not more distance as you previously had with far less stress on your arm. Plus with a routine and proper body posture you will find your accuracy increase as well. I won't sit here and coach you on all the details (heck I'm still learning myself as I'm sure most people on here are) but I truly believe if you use the tools I have listed above you will improve.

 

[solomon.trenton]

innova throwing charts

 

[tamahawk]

You will find with practice (going to a field and throwing over and over again) that you are able to get as much if not more distance as you previously had with far less stress on your arm. Plus with a routine and proper body posture you will find your accuracy increase as well.

I agree with the field practice as far as developing your form and working on the x-step, if you have the space available to do so. Maybe a local park, football field, anywhere away from the course will help focus on form. Something I recently learned (thanks to help from a local pro) is this, don't worry about a fast run-up. When working on the X-Step, nice and smooth and slow, and focus all of your energy in the release of the disc, not the momentum of the run-up. This will help with timing issues, and as the timing gets better, so will distance and accuracy.

 

[swellerdiscgolf]

Don't try to throw the disc as hard as you can, these drivers have glide for a reason. When I first started many of my shots were going fast out of my hand and banking hard left then dying, when I started throwing with less power and letting the disc do the work, my distance improved immediatly. I've noticed most newbs second, and third shots are alot better than their first, this is because their first shots are being thrown as hard as they can, while their second and if necessary third shots are being more tossed and the disc is gliding and going straight.

Try this... go to a field and throw your disc as hard as you can. Go to where that disc landed, pick it up, and "toss" it back to the starting point. I would bet that the disc will go in a straighter line and probably go farther than you expect.

 

[Dillon_Gourley]

Form makes all the difference.

 

[_DA_]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nED7gcXobEo

 

[Lewis]

I wonder if Beato knows his video is so well loved around here.

 

[XxInnovaxX]

form definitely makes all the difference in the world...i played against a 12 year old kid yesterday and he could drive 300+, and had perfect form...me on the other hand could only throw 350 and i was a foot and a half taller and am a lot stonger....so its definetly not based on brute strength...ive found that out the hard way....even with my thumber, at first i thought it was all about how much i could put behind it. having played baseball all my life i could allready chunk it pretty far...but i soon realized with a little form and technique i could even throw a tomahawk further, and with a lot less shoulder wear, when all i needed was proper form...i agree with the above comments, just check the vid out and try to mock it...good luck

 

[NatiBuckeye]

Form is huge....

I like the paul mcbeth form better than dan beato..

find it on his website

 

[solomon.trenton]

I wonder if Beato knows his video is so well loved around here.

maybe we should find his address and send him a huge thank you card

 

[Craton]

Form. Is. Key. I would know- I am 5'7", and weigh 140lbs sopping wet, and whip a disc into the 400's. I've won a distance contest at a tournament, and constantly get the comment "what the heck, the little guy beat those guys!"

I'm not saying this to build myself up- but I am saying that if a guy who went from a 149g leopard to a 175 champion wraith the main driver of someone of my stature, form is key.

*This is, of course, is assuming your question on "form" is strictly speaking of drives. It should go without saying, but I will make the disclaimer anyways, that working on your midrange/putting form is also key. I still can't figure out a consistent grip for my midrange discs, and have a hard time getting a consistent release.

 

[garublador]

maybe we should find his address and send him a huge thank you card

I'll bet if you sent it to Gotta Go Gotta Throw in Minneapolis it would get to him. There's a sticky in the technique section of the DGR forum that features the video as well.

Reatlly, there's just one main form for throwing a disc backhand and far. If you look at all the big arm throwers (people who can throw golf lines >400' with slow fairway drivers) you'll find some variation in form, but there will be a lot of things in common. It's those things in common that you need to focus on.

 

[ChronoDisc]

Well I added an x step to my drives today. After spending much time driving the ungodly long and open hole one, I was able to do it consistently and accurately. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[ChronoDisc]

I also added about eighty feet to my already cannon armed drives.